Lord Cadogan’s regiment of dragoons, during the time he was lieutenant-colonel of it, was quartered in a variety of places, both in England and Scotland, from many of which I have letters before me; particularly from Hamilton, Ayr, Carlisle, Hereford, Maidenhead, Leicester, Warwick, Coventry, Stamford, Harborough, Northampton, and several other places, especially in our inland parts.  The natural consequence was, that the colonel, whose character was on many accounts so very remarkable, had a very extensive acquaintance; and I believe I may certainly say, that wherever he was known by persons of wisdom and worth, he was proportionably respected, and left behind him traces of unaffected devotion, humility, benevolence, and zeal for the support and advancement of religion and virtue.

The equable tenor of his mind in these respects is illustrated by his letters from several of these places; and though I have but comparatively a small number of them now in my hands, yet they will afford some valuable extracts; which I shall therefore here lay before my reader, that he may the better judge as to the colonel’s real character in particulars which I have already mentioned, or which may hereafter occur.

In a letter to his lady, dated from Carlisle, November 19, 1738, when he was on his journey to Herefordshire, he breathes out his grateful, cheerful soul in these words: 

“I bless God I was never better in my lifetime, and I wish I could be so happy as to hear the same of you:  or rather, in other words, to hear that you have obtained an entire trust in God.  That would infallibly keep you in perfect peace, for the God of truth has promised it.  Oh, how ought we to be longing ‘to be with Christ,’ which is infinitely better than any thing we can propose here! to be there, where no mountains shall separate between God and our souls.  And I hope it will be some addition to our happiness, that, you and I shall be separated no more; but that as we have joined in singing the praises of our glorious Redeemer here, we shall sing them in a much higher key through an endless eternity.  Oh eternity, eternity!  What a wonderful thought, is eternity!”

From Leicester, August 6, 1739, he writes thus to his lady: 

“Yesterday I was at the Lord’s table, where you and the children were not forgotten.  But how wonderfully was I assisted when I came home, to plead for you all with many tears.”  And then, speaking of some intimate friends who were impatient, (as I suppose by the connection) for his return to them, he takes occasion to observe the necessity of endeavouring to compose our minds, and say with the Psalmist, “My soul, wait thou only upon God.”  Afterwards, speaking of one of his children, who he heard had made a commendable progress in learning, he expresses his satisfaction, and adds; “But, how much greater joy would it give me to hear that he was greatly advanced in the school of Christ!  Oh that our children may but be wise unto salvation, and may grow in grace as they do in stature!”